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Monday, January 6, 2014

The Magic of the Craft Sheet

Good Morning!!

Before I begin I have a question for you all – do you all love your distress inks, stamps, paints, of course yes!! But how do you protect your work surface? A laminated sheet? A table mat? Old news papers? A cloth?

If you are one crazy person like me who can begin & end every crafting day only with a neat, spotless work surface (my daughters think I have a OCD for cleanliness!!!) then read on because this post is just for you as it is all about the NON STICK CRAFT SHEET.

Image Source: Google

So what is this craft sheet – it is a versatile thin sheet which can be placed over your craft surface. Very convenient considering that it is thin & both the sides can be used. Being non-porous it is ideal for use with all mediums – inks, paints, pigments, mists.

Another benefit is that being heat resistant it can also be used while working with embossing powders, UTEE, craft iron, shrink plastic or even while baking polymer clay.

Take a look at these images & you will understand how & where to use this mat -

The craft sheet is particularly useful when working with distress inks. For distressing you always ink the blending foam & begin on the craft sheet, in circular motions bring the ink along the paper. This results in smooth even edge & easy blending of colors as against paper. Take my word for this once you use the craft sheet for this purpose you will never work without it!

You could squirt alcohol inks on the craft sheet & then press glossy card stock to create amazing backgrounds like Tim Holtz does!

Image Source: Google

Use it with mixed media products like gesso, gel medium, texture paste, etc.

Image Source: Google

Dyeing your ribbons, flowers,

Image Source: Google

It can withstand high temperature & can conveniently be used with techniques involving heating like embossing, UTEE, hot wax, MOD melts, shrink plastic. You can actually pour melted UTEE on a craft sheet & then use a cookie cutter or a rubber stamp to make a charm or even line the baking dish with the craft sheet while baking polymer clay. The hot glue gun, melting pot can all be safe kept on the sheet when in use.

Image Source: Google

Image Source: Google

Image Source: Google

Misting, Masking, Stencilling techniques

Image Source: Google

Image Source: Google

Decoupage, mod podge - being non sticky the surface can be cleaned in a jiffy.